


and you knew what it was

by aceofdiamonds



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Human AU, all the canon pairings are there in the background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-16
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-25 16:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2627969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceofdiamonds/pseuds/aceofdiamonds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Annabeth,” Percy beams, slipping into a grimace almost instantly. He’s holding his left arm, the tanned skin covered in blood from wrist to elbow, and he’s not usually squeamish but he looks a little green here. “I -- um --”</p><p>“Had an accident,” she finishes. She knows the drill. “What happened this time?” she asks as she steps back to let him in.</p><p>“Skateboarding isn’t going so well,” Percy calls over his shoulder on his way to the bathroom. He’s been here enough times that he knows Annabeth may be willing to patch him up but not if he drips blood all over her floor.</p><p>“Percy, you’re twenty one, you clearly can’t skateboard -- give it up.”</p><p>human au where percy is extremely accident-prone and annabeth is good at first-aid and then there are misunderstandings and feelings and piper just wants to help</p>
            </blockquote>





	and you knew what it was

**Author's Note:**

> my first percy jackson thing that's not percy/nico! it was really fun to write, so. i have more annabeth things planned i think. title is from you r in love by taylor swift because that song is everything. that whole album is everything.
> 
> there are a few mentions of various injuries, nothing major, just some blood. thought i should warn just in case.

 

"Hazel, did you take the popcorn through?"

The answer is muffled and tinged with laughter. "Yes, Annabeth. The popcorn is here waiting for you. Now come on and watch this."

But that's what she's _avoiding_. Annabeth grabs three glasses off of the counter, dropping ice cubes into them then slipping the bottle of Pepsi under her arm. She glances around for something else to stall the inevitable but comes up empty, knocking the light switch with her elbow.

"Finally!" Piper exclaims when Annabeth enters the room. "C'mere, it's starting." She grabs the glasses from Annabeth's arms before she tugs her down between her and Hazel, which, the removal of any breakables is an improvement so Annabeth goes with it. "You scared yet, Anna?"

"It's just the credits," she says dully. Why is she being subjected to this? What did she do wrong? Say one time that you don’t like horror films and then you’re being ambushed and tied to the couch -- well, not quite, but Hazel’s holding her hand and her grip is _strong_. She watches the screen warily, waiting for the inevitable jump and when it doesn’t come she feels herself being pulled into it -- see, it’s all psychological, this is their plan and Annabeth will not be a part of it.

Annabeth screams before she knows why. A man appears on screen, grabbing the main girl and dragging her away into the trees.

“I hate you both,” she mutters when Hazel and Piper have finished laughing, both of them pulling her in against them.

“We’ll protect you from the scary man,” Piper coos in her ear, shrieking when Annabeth’s finger pokes at her waist. “Oi, do you want us to leave you here alone?”

“I could turn it off --” Annabeth points out, and then she’s saved by the bell.

“Who’s that?” Hazel asks, eyes curious as Annabeth gets up to go and answer the frantic knocking. She is almost 100 percent sure who it is and right now she’s incredibly grateful for him.

“Hi, Percy.”

“Annabeth,” Percy beams, slipping into a grimace almost instantly. He’s holding his left arm, the tanned skin covered in blood from wrist to elbow, and he’s not usually squeamish but he looks a little green here. “I -- um --”

“Had an accident,” she finishes. She knows the drill. “What happened this time?” she asks as she steps back to let him in.

“Skateboarding isn’t going so well,” Percy calls over his shoulder on his way to the bathroom. He’s been here enough times that he knows Annabeth may be willing to patch him up but not if he drips blood all over her floor.

“Percy, you’re twenty one, you clearly can’t skateboard -- _give it up_.”

“Uh, Annabeth?” She turns to see Piper and Hazel’s heads poking out of the living room. Percy continues through the door, whistling. “Who is that?”

Surely she’s mentioned the cute, dumb, boy from the floor above who is the most accident-prone person she has ever met. Surely she’s told them that he’s funny and he asks her questions about herself and that one time after he somehow managed to carve his hand up while cooking he brought her flowers as a thank you.

If she hasn’t told them, and judging by their suspicious faces she has not, it’s because she wants to keep it to herself for just now, just to see if things will ever go anywhere. Not that she _likes_ him or anything, it’s just that she’s seen him a lot recently, and it’s been nice. You know, friend nice. Whatever, it’s been something she hasn’t mentioned to her friends because when Percy leaves she’s going to get the exact grilling she’s been avoiding.

“That’s Percy,” she says, continuing when Piper waves a hand in a _please_ _elaborate_ gesture. “He lives upstairs.”

“Once you’re finished with whatever’s going on in there you are going to tell us _everything_ ,” Piper says, baring her teeth then winking and pulling Hazel back over to the couch. “We’re pressing play!”

“Good!” Annabeth grabs a tea-towel from the kitchen on the way past, pushing open the bathroom door with her hip to reveal Percy sitting on the edge of her bath with a sheepish smile on his face.

“Sorry for crashing your night,” he says, wincing as he straightens out his arm. The blood is drying quickly but it hasn’t quite stopped. “But my mom’s out of town and anyway, you’re much closer and --”

“It’s fine,” she interrupts. “Kind of grateful, actually.” Percy looks at her curiously. “My friends are making me watch these stupid scary movies.”

“You’re scared,” Percy crows suddenly, his eyes lighting up at this. Annabeth rolls her eyes, tries not to let it show that this boy is so endearing to her. “Can’t take it, Annabeth? Monsters gonna hide under your bed?”

“Funny things to say to someone who can cause you a lot of pain,” she shoots back but she’s grinning. Percy laughs loudly. “Shh -- you're injured."

Percy sits still for the next five minutes as Annabeth cleans the wound which isn't as deep as it looks. She dabs salve on it then digs out a bandage from the cupboard under the sink. "Thanks for doing this, Annabeth.”

“I think I’m good at it now. You’re giving me a lot of chance to practice.”

“Hey if the architect thing doesn’t work you know you have a career in nursing.” Percy flinches when Annabeth taps his leg. “Not that it isn’t going to -- you can design my house one day.”

“We’re not going to be neighbours forever?” Annabeth looks up, widening her eyes then smirking when Percy flushes and tries to backtrack. Their two-and-fro is building up away from fragile to something stronger and easier but a bat of her eyelashes and Percy falls off whatever he’s trying to say. “There. That should be you.”

“You’re a star, Annabeth Chase.”

“Don’t mention it,” Annabeth says, and wishes it had taken a little longer because god, those two are going to be brutal when she goes back in there. “And hey, Percy?” she reaches out to touch his uninjured arm, her expression serious enough to catch his attention. “Please do not try and skateboard again.”

“Ugh you sound just like Grover,” Percy groans, ducking away from her hand and laughing. “I’m gonna be so skilled at this all of this is going to be worth it.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Don’t snort at me like that, Chase. I’ll give you a lift on my board tomorrow if you want? I’m getting better.”

“When pigs fly,” she promises, leading him back through the apartment to the door. “Don’t move that arm too much for the next couple of days.”

“I will do my very best,” Percy says, grinning at her before setting off towards to stairs at the end of the hallway.

Annabeth shuts the door with a click, waits a second, then heads back into the kitchen. The popcorn’s probably running low; they can wait a few more minutes.

  
  


.

  
  


(the first time:

Annabeth's getting ready for bed the first time Percy knocks at her door. . She doesn’t really know him then, only running past each other in the halls and exchanging smiles at 3am fire alarms. Still, she can’t leave him standing outside her door with blood dripping from the side of his head and his little finger bent at an odd angle that makes her feel a little sick even in its miniature form from through the peep-hole.

“Hi,” he says breathlessly when she opens the door. “Annabeth, right?” She nods, confusion clouding everything. “I’m Percy.”

“Hi. It’s really late --” she starts, glancing down at her pyjamas. Percy’s in board shorts and a orange t-shirt with faded writing across the chest. She’s the underdressed one here. In her apartment. At eleven thirty.

“I know and I’m so sorry but my roommate’s out of town and I thought you looked like you might be able to help.”

“I’m not a nurse,” Annabeth says firmly before she waves him in. She has basic first aid knowledge; she can take a look, anything shes not sure about she can send him to the hospital. “I’ll see what I can do."

“You’re amazing,” Percy declares, standing in the middle of her hall and looking around him, dripping blood all over her floor. It’s wooden, but still. “I was out with my buddy --”

Annabeth holds up a hand to stop him. “The less I know the better. C’mon, bathroom’ll be easiest.”

“It wasn’t illegal,” is the earnest insistence she gets once she’s pushed him down onto the closed lid of the toilet. If she’s suddenly the most equipped person in Percy’s knowledge, or, more likely, the only one who answered their door, then she’s taking charge of the situation. “Well, not really...”

“Sit still, and tilt your head this way.”

“I saw you picking up a hedgehog once,” Percy says after Annabeth has finished cleaning the cut. There’s blood in his hair turning the brown darker almost black at some bits. It’s wet beneath her fingers and this should be gross, she’s not that great with blood actually, her own anyway, but her head feels very clear. She’s doing okay so far. She allows herself to tune into what Percy’s saying. “You looked like you knew what you were doing, so.”

“You’re basing my medical knowledge over the way I picked up a hedgehog?” She feels herself smiling, partly in disbelief and partly because Percy has barely stopped smiling since he got here. It might be a concussion, she reasons. “God, Percy, what if I made it even worse?”

“Well you haven’t so far?” He lifts his hand to feel gingerly at his wound. “See, plaster’s on the right place and everything! Are you at med school?”

“I’m studying architecture,” she says dryly, examining his finger which is so clearly broken she doesn’t know what to do apart from stare at it. “Very different course, I think -- look. Percy, I can’t help you with this, you need to go to the emergency room.”

“You think?” Percy looks at his pinkie with a heartbroken expression. “Man, I am never listening to Connor again.”

“I think I’ve taken care of your head okay -- you didn’t hit it hard, did you? Is a concussion likely?”

Percy shrugs. “Probably not. I’ll be fine.”

“You know I’m not really a nurse, don’t you? I need you to know that.”

“Like I said, I thought you would be the best. I would go to my mum but she lives too many blocks away and I was bleeding a _lot_ , so I thought hey, that nice blonde girl might help me, and you did!”

“Are you bleeding anywhere else?”

Percy tugs up his t-shirt to expose his torso. Annabeth tries to keep a clinical mindset but it’s hard because he has muscles and he’s tanned and -- “See? Nothing there.”

She nods. “Right. So, I think that’s you? I really think you should go to the hospital, or the doctors at least -- I know this guy, Chiron.”

“I know him too,” Percy says, finally letting go of the hem of his shirt so it drops back down. “Small world, right?”

“You’ll go and see him, then?”

“Definitely,” Percy nods and gets to his feet. He stumbles a little, his hand on Annabeth’s shoulder, and she’s not entirely confident he doesn’t have a concussion but there’s really nothing else she can do here. “Thanks again, Annabeth, I owe you one.”

And that’s how it starts.)

  
  


.

  
  
  


“You really couldn’t have done this yourself?” Annabeth asks one time when Percy comes to her with a nosebleed.

“I’m not good with blood?” and he sounds unsure with his answer but whatever, Annabeth takes it. “I love you so much for doing this, Annabeth.”

“Well, you owe me a thousand favours.”

“I could give you a free tour of the aquarium. I think that would equal five hundred favours. I am an excellent tour guide.”

“I’m sure you are,” Annabeth agrees. He has so much energy, _all the time_ , and he seems so enthusiastic about his work. Actually, from all the times she’s met him, he seems enthusiastic about pretty much everything. “I don’t know... I don’t really get fish."

“Annabeth,” Percy says seriously, hand on her arm. His nose still has blood around it so the effect he’s going for is ruined slightly but he continues. “I will teach you fish.”

Who can turn down an offer like that?

  
  
  


.

  
  
  


She doesn’t have anything due for college for the next week or so and her shifts aren’t until the weekend so she finds she might as well head down to the aquarium. If Percy’s there, fine, and if he’s not then she’s sure someone else will be perfectly willing to tell her what’s the difference between one fish and another.

The queue is so long despite the midweek and when she finally gets inside she’s half regretting coming at all. Her student card gets her a discount on the price, the total reminding her why she never does touristy things in New York.

“Here’s a map,” the woman behind the screen tells her, sliding said map through the small gap along with her ticket. “Enjoy your visit.”

“I plan to,” Annabeth promises. The woman has already moved onto the next person.

She makes her way through the first room which houses the more boring fish, most of them looking the same to Annabeth’s untrained eye. The next area is slightly more exciting with jellyfish illuminated in their dark containers and eels twisting around the plants. Annabeth takes a picture of the giant pink jellyfish to show Hazel and Piper later.

It’s in the shark area that she spots Percy. He’s leading a group of school children at the moment, his arms gesturing wildly behind him as he explains that sharks don’t actually attack people as much as you may think, only when provoked. Annabeth approaches, listening to a boy ask if Jaws was a real story then, biting her lip to stop her laugh escaping when Percy tries to make Jaws more realistic and appropriate for the fifth graders.

He spots her just as they’re about to move onto the hammerheads around the corner, face lightening up. “Knew you would come!” he calls over the heads of the children who all swivel to stare at her.

Annabeth holds her map self-consciously, looking back at the mini crowd in front of her. They lost interest quickly, swarming around the tank holding a shark that’s big enough to keep Annabeth over here. Percy tells them they’ll move on in a couple minutes then comes over.

“Have you been converted yet?”

“Honestly? I’m not really getting it. You look like you enjoy it, though, so...”

“You walked right through the first part, didn’t you? Didn’t even spare a glance at the Nemo tank.”

Annabeth admits that no, she did not spot the characters from Finding Nemo and is met with a wail of despair. “I liked the jellyfish,” she adds hastily.

“The jellyfish are show-offs,” Percy says dismissively, fish expert at work. “Join these kids and I’ll give you the full experience.”

“I think after this your favours will be doubling,” but Annabeth tags along for the rest of the tour. This is the way she was going anyway. It’s logical.

  
  


.

  
  


They stop by the cafeteria once Percy has clocked out, changing back into his snapback and jeans ensemble that Annabeth has come to know as his standard outfit. Percy buys her a coffee, saying he has his employee discount so it would just be a waste otherwise and hey there’s one favour crossed off, and they find a table in the corner.

“It wasn’t so bad,” Annabeth admits, dropping her head into her hands when Percy crows triumphantly. “The turtles were cute.”

“I knew that would be your favourite bit. Next time you come I’ll take you round the first bit properly, okay?”

Annabeth agrees to the next time.

In the gift shop she picks up a seahorse and puts on a bad impression of Percy’s voice, mumbling about being the greatest thing in the whole world. Percy’s laugh is loud and fills the space they’re in and Annabeth doesn’t feel self-conscious at all when people turn to look at them, the woman behind the counter smiling fondly in Percy’s direction.

She grabs a ceramic jellyfish for Hazel, a pencil for Frank and Jason, and a snapback for Piper, and when she empties out her bag at home she finds a turtle keyring that she doesn’t remember buying, last seen in Percy’s hand. She slots it onto her keys.

  
  


.

  
  


Two days later Percy is at her door, a cloth pressed to his shoulder. “My mom got a cat.”

“And knowing how prone to injuries you are, you decided to pick it up?”

“You know me so well,” Percy sighs, kicking off his shoes. “Oh, I have mud on them,” he explains when Annabeth glances down at them questioningly. “Don’t want to mess up your floor again.”

“Your blood has probably reached every inch of it from here to the bathroom,” Annabeth says, pointing him towards said room. “Shit, Percy, one of these is deep.”

“You can fix it, can’t you?”

She rummages in her first aid box for the salve she remembers buying when her dad’s dog had scratched her in much the same way as this. Unscrewing the lid with her teeth she gestures for Percy to remove his shirt. She’s done this enough now that she doesn’t stare so much anymore. He told her once that he swims a lot, and yeah, she can see that.

“That’s cold,” Percy hisses, intaking a breath sharply.

“Not my problem,” Annabeth says but she rubs the gel on slowly, warming it up in her palm before applying more. “Take this home with you and apply it twice a day for the next few days.”

“You can’t do it for me?” he asks, mouth shaping into a smirk. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it right.”

“Ask Grover if you’re having trouble,” she says, mirroring his smirk.

“Touché.”

  
  


.

  
  


“Annabeth,” Piper says, her face as sombre as it gets. “don’t you think if something was going to happen with Percy it would have by now? I mean, no offence, but this has been going on for a while now.”

“We don’t want you to get hurt,” Hazel adds kindly. “We know it’s not our business but we think you should get out there.”

“I’m not _pining_ ,” Annabeth insists, because she’s really really not. She hasn’t been on a date for a while because it doesn’t interest her that much, it’s not some huge concern of hers that she doesn’t have a significant other. The Percy thing is -- whatever, she thinks he’s cute and they’ve had some good conversations over the past few months, some wavering over into flirting, others arguments about everything they can think of. The aquarium had been fun. They’re _friends_. She says as much and is met with somewhat pitying looks. “What? Fine. I’ll go out. If that’s what it takes to prove anything to you.”

Hazel pleads that they’re not trying to interfere but Annabeth doesn’t mind, not really, maybe she should go out with someone. What’s the worst that could happen?

  
  


.

  
  


The worst thing that can happen is that her date is boring as hell. She’s not saying that to be mean, she means it as a way of stating a fact. And it’s surprising because she’s spoken to Jack a few times in class and sure, their conversation had been limited to architecture and buildings around the world, but he had seemed nice enough and so when he had mentioned dinner one night, completely out of blue, she had accepted thinking that they would have lots to talk about.

It’s not the case.

“So, Jack, are you from around here?”

“No I lived in Ohio until I was eighteen,” he says, sipping his beer and watching as Annabeth nods and looks down at her plate, searching for something to say that could lead to more conversation. “There’s not much in Ohio,” he adds after a long pause.

“I’ve never been,” she confesses. “California straight to New York for me.”

Jack nods at that, focusing on his drink again.

He leans in to kiss her at the bottom of her building and she lets him, her eyes shutting as she tilts her head up to him. It’s okay as kisses go but he has the rest of the evening stacked against him so when he smiles at her hopefully she steps away and thanks him politely, waving as he walks back down the block.

“How’d it go?” Piper calls through from the couch as soon as Annabeth gets in the door. “Did you bring him up? Do we have company?”

“You don’t live here,” Annabeth replies, slipping off her heels and leaning to rub at the back of her foot where the strap was digging in all night. “And no, he’s going home, I assume.”

When Annabeth sinks onto the chair across from the TV she notices Jason, Piper’s boyfriend, sitting beside Piper. He’s studying, a vast array of textbooks strewn across her coffee table but when Annabeth groans at Piper’s questioning he looks up and shoots her a sympathetic smile. “Hi, Annabeth, good night?”

“It was okay. I don’t think it’ll happen again.”

“Jason is worried we pressured you into going on that date and I told him we did no such thing but he would like to hear it directly from your mouth.”

“Piper and Hazel in no way said it would be vital for my health and wellbeing to go on a date with a boy from my course,” Annabeth says, mouth a straight line, then winks at Jason who laughs and goes back to his work. “Honestly, it was fine. That was it.”

“Missing a certain something? Too healthy looking? No cuts and bruises to fix?”

“Shut up,” Annabeth groans, her argument weak even to her ears.

“Speaking of, Percy stopped by looking for you earlier.”

Annabeth moves past telling Piper again not to answer her door when she’s not in and asks what he wanted, figuring if it was anything serious he would have the sense to go to the hospital.

“No it wasn’t anything medical related actually,” Piper laughs, folding her legs up underneath her and jostling Jason lightly as she does so. His arm moves to accommodate her, his lips curving into a grin even as he stares at his textbook. “He said something about skateboarding and promises you weren’t keeping. Anyway, when I said you were out on a date he looked pretty put out about it, so, if you ask me --”

“I’m not asking you. I never asked you --” Annabeth tries, giving it up as a lost cause because romance is Piper’s forte and if dates are going to go as bad for her as tonight’s did maybe she should start listening to her. Not about the Percy stuff, though, that’s something she’s not looking at too hard. “Percy and I are friends, okay?”

“Okay,” Piper says, her hand up to appease her. It’s something Percy would do; they would get along well, she thinks. “Although, it sounds like someone is protesting too much -- Jason back me up here.”

“I’m staying out of it,” Jason says, instantly becoming Annabeth’s favourite person in the room.

(When Piper notices the keyring Percy gave her from the aquarium she raises an eyebrow, rolling her eyes when Jason points out that she has a keyring Leo made her on her own and it’s not like they’re anything but friends, so. Again, Annabeth loves Jason.)

  
  


.

  
  
  


“You’re not even sick,” Annabeth says, jabbing him in the ribs. Percy catches her finger and holds it for a second before he lets it drop between them.

He holds his hands up in surrender, easy smile as he’s caught out. “I know. I wanted to see you.”

It’s shockingly honest after their weeks of skirting around whatever’s going on here. Annabeth blinks. “Why?”

“I was lonely; my roommate’s away for the weekend.”

“Your roommate’s always away, what does he do that takes him away from you so often?” Annabeth asks, dropping back into their normal conversations.

“He’s part of all these nature organisations. Seriously, every one you know, Grover is involved in it someway.”

“He sounds very dedicated.”

“Dedicated to leaving me,” Percy pouts.

Annabeth rolls her eyes, pushing him towards the kitchen. “Get the drinks, I’m picking the movie.”

  
  


.

  
  


They fall asleep on the couch to the music of the Miss Congeniality credits. When Annabeth opens her eyes it’s light outside and there’s a hoodie she’s pretty sure isn’t hers thrown over her in lieu of a blanket. She rubs at her eye as she stretches, pushing past the fog in her brain as she remembers last night. There had been pizza and then Percy had gone to get beer from upstairs and she remembers laughing a lot, arguing with Percy on so many things from the best Sandra Bullock film to what’s the biggest fish in the ocean. She learned that Percy's dad skipped out on him and his mum when he was little, just like Annabeth's mum, and sharing that feels like something more real and serious than anything else they've discussed. Percy had told her about the time he had stolen a fish from the pet shop by slipping it in his water bottle and when she had finished laughing Annabeth had told him she used to make her own board games with rules so complicated her dad couldn't even work them out, playing along blindly.

It had been fun, she realises. Just hanging out.

There’s a note from Percy on her kitchen counter: _had fun last night, annabeth. sorry had to go - work waits for no one right? see you soon!_ His writing is a mess and he signed his name with a smiley face that looks like something a child would do.

  
  


.

  
  


Annabeth has work too. Both the academic kind and the paying for a living kind. The coffee shop along the street isn’t ideal but it’s close to home and it pays relatively well so she’s not complaining.

That morning after Percy stays over she’s maybe a little more distracted than usual, the only tragedies coming from this are the wrong cookie going to the wrong regular and giving too much change to the teenage girl who hands back the extra with something a little too close to a knowing smile for Annabeth’s liking. When Iris, the cafe’s owner, asks if she did anything fun last night Annabeth feels her cheeks heat up and mumbles something about watching TV with a friend. It’s exactly what _did_ happen, she doesn’t know why she's acting so weird about it.

The shift passes slowly; she counts the number of frappuccinos that are ordered and makes a note to pass it on to Frank who always insists they're much more popular than anyone gives them credit for. Annabeth doesn’t really care society’s opinion on frozen drinks, all she knows is that they’re easier to make than various types of coffee.

The music playing is something Annabeth recommended to Iris, more upbeat than the usual slow tracks Iris likes to play. She hums along as she changes the filter in the pot, turning at the end to catch Percy walking past the window, headphones in and his head moving in time with whatever music he’s listening to.

He looks up at the same time as she does, catching her eye. When he waves it’s big and goofy and matches the smile he’s wearing. Annabeth waves back, returning the wink he sends her, too, and once he’s passed she goes back to work, recognising the next song as something to with crushes and feelings and finding it all too ridiculously appropriate.

  
  


.

  
  


“I came by the other night but you were out.”

“I do go out sometimes, Percy,” Annabeth replies, tone almost too close to snapping. “I can’t always be here to fix you up.”

“No I know that,” he says, wounded. “I just wanted to see if you wanted that ride on my skateboard but if you have _other things_.”

“I am never going on that thing, I told you that.”

Percy grabs the chair from the kitchen counter and climbs up, reaching for the light bulb. Annabeth can change a light bulb, she’s not depending on him for that, but he had been here when it blew and it’s a complicated fitting and anyway, he insisted and he’s so damn persistent when he wants to do something.

His voice is muffled by his arm as he unscrews the broken bulb. “You’re missing out, Chase.”

“Missing out on injuries.”

“On _fun_ ,” he shoots back, clambering down from the chair.

He’s so close, right there, just inches from her. His eyes flicker down to her lips, lingering there for a long moment, and Annabeth finds herself thanking Hazel for the lipstick she threw at her this morning before she left. She dips her head closer without thinking about it, heart thumping when Percy’s gaze startles back up to meet her own, questions in both of them. They’re this close, it might as well happen, even if it ends up being a one time thing, but she’s been getting better at reading signals, he wants her, at least a little bit, maybe more, and he’s wearing an aftershave that she hasn’t smelled before, the scent dizzying and playing with her senses. Everything’s clicking together.

Percy murmurs something she doesn’t catch despite their close proximity and then he’s closing his eyes and moving in and all Annabeth is thinking is finally and she shuts hers too and

The door goes.

Annabeth leaps back so quickly she almost backs into the corner of the counter, Percy’s hand shooting out to catch her. He laughs quietly, shaking his head to himself, and she can’t work that out.

“Coming!” she shouts, flashing a smile at Percy who salutes and leans back against the cupboards. So they’re not disappearing on each other. Good.

It’s Percy’s elusive roommate that’s leaning against the doorjamb. Grover. She only knows who he is because of Percy’s many different descriptions of him that all seem to pull together to create the exact person standing in front of her. Plus, she’s passed him in the parking lot a couple of times, one time with a pretty brown haired girl who had smiled at Annabeth. “Hi?”

“Hey, I’m Grover,” he says, and then holds out a hand for her to shake. He has calloused fingers and bracelets all up his wrists. Annabeth spots a brown leather one that is identical to the one Percy wears and wonders if it's a friendship bracelet or just a coincidence.

"Annabeth," she smiles. "How can I help you?"

"Percy's not in his room -- I'm guessing he's here."

"Yeah, want me to get him for you?"

Grover shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. "No, it's fine. Could you tell him Juniper accidentally set fire to the pile of laundry sitting outside his room again but I’m totally going to fix it so don’t worry.”

“I -- again?” Grover nods, looking a lot less worried about this than Annabeth would be. “Yeah, I’ll tell him.”

“Thanks, Annabeth. See you,” and then he’s running down the hall on his mission that Annabeth has no way of wrapping her head around.

When she gets back it’s to find Percy stretched out on her couch looking like he’s exactly where he belongs. He’s flicking through the channels, pausing on a _Friends_ episode before Phoebe says something he doesn’t agree with and he groans and moves on. Annabeth fits onto the couch beside his feet, calling out when _Gilmore Girls_ passes. Percy obeys and they watch in silence for a few minutes.

“Who was at the door?” Percy asks eventually.

“Oh. Grover said Juniper burned all your clothes again but don’t worry, he’s taking care of it.”

“Fuck! Again?! Why doesn’t Juniper practice with Grover’s clothes for a change?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t leave yours in places that are easy to find?” Annabeth suggests, pushing down Percy’s ankle when his foot digs into her thigh. “Just a suggestion.”

“Maybe I’ll give her yours next time,” Percy counters, and Annabeth doesn’t even know half of what they’re talking about but she finds she understands most of what he’s saying. “Shh. It’s back on.”

They fall back into a comfortable silence and suddenly four episodes have passed and it’s dark outside. Annabeth shifts so she’s not leaning against Percy, yawning.

“Shit, is that the time?”

Annabeth glances at her watch. “Six thirty?”

“I promised I’d meet my mum an hour ago.” Percy pulls his Converse back on, turning in a circle to find the hoodie that Annabeth holds out to him. “Thanks, I’ll see you soon?” See you soon is always their goodbye; never a solid promise for when they’ll see each other next.

“Yeah, have a good time with your mom.”

“I will,” and then he drops a kiss on her forehead and is gone with a slammed door.

  
  
  


.

  
  
  


“My apartment block doesn’t have anything like this,” Hazel says, romanticising the situation beyond belief. Her apartment block is mostly made up of families and people over 70. “It’s so romantic.”

“It’s sort of awkward, actually,” Annabeth says, wincing at how quickly Hazel’s face falls. “Kind of. I haven’t seen him since.”

“So where’s he been going when he breaks his leg or whatever,” Piper butts in, leaning over the back of the couch. “What does he even do? Is he a stunt double?”

Annabeth colours in a square on her paper, crossing over it again and again. “He works in the aquarium -- you know, the one across from the marina?”

“Frank loves that one,” Hazel grins. “He says it’s better than the one in Brooklyn.”

“Well, yeah, that one doesn’t even have sharks.”

“And it doesn’t have Percy,” Hazel adds. Annabeth throws her pen at her.

“He’s probably just been busy,” she says. “It’s only been a few days. I’ll probably see him tonight.” When she looks up Piper and Hazel are both staring at her. “What?”

“Here’s an idea: why don’t you go up to his apartment for a change, knock on his door, and then, when he sees that you’ve made the huge trek all the way up to see him, he’ll realise that you have both been stupidly coy and stubborn about this whole thing and kiss you and it’ll be just like the fairytale Hazel is wishing it to be.”

Annabeth leans her chin on her fist and runs it over in her head, dismissing the tiny voice telling her it sounds a bit dramatic. The thing is, Percy is sort of dramatic, and annoyingly so is she when it comes to this whole thing, so really, it makes _sense_.

She’ll do it later. Once she’s finished this essay.

  
  


.

  
  


She puts lipstick on and pulls her hair out her ponytail which is stupid because Percy has already seen her in her pyjamas with no make-up on several times. It’s the principle of the thing, she thinks, shoving her Converse on.

  
  


.

  
  


“Annabeth,” Grover says when he opens the door. He has a toothbrush in his mouth and one sock on but he looks like he has the time to talk to her. “What’s up?”

“Is Percy there?”

“Uh, he should be back from work by now -- want to come in and wait? I’m just heading out but you’re free to come in.”

Annabeth is feeling something close to relief. She pushes that down. “No, it’s okay. It wasn’t anything important, I’ll see him some other time.” She waves as he shrugs and closes the door again then makes her way back along the hall.

And runs straight into Percy whose rattling down the hall on his skateboard, looking too forlorn for someone who is managing to stay on the board after so many false starts.

“Annabeth!” He grins when he sees her, confusion quick to follow. He drops a foot to the floor to stop the board in front of Annabeth but doesn’t get off. It increases their height difference to a level Annabeth is not entirely comfortable with. Percy is staring at her like he’s not really sure she’s here, both of them outside their apartments and no blood to be seen. Annabeth can’t quite believe it either. “What are you doing up here?”

“Oh, I -- uh, well, I came to see you, actually.”

“Yeah? I was just at your door but no one was in.”

“That’s because I was here,” she says redundantly, gesturing behind her to where Grover is no doubt going to walk out any second. They're both awful at this.

“Look, I haven’t fallen off in ages!” Percy says, wobbling on the board and dropping a hand to Annabeth’s shoulder to keep his balance. “No need to patch me up.”

“Don’t speak too quickly,” Annabeth smiles and then decides to follow through with what she came up here for. “Anyway, I didn’t mind it really.” She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses him, drawing back almost straightaway to assess the moment. She tilts her head and watches the smile spread across his lips, his body relaxing into a more confident stance again.

“Couldn’t wait to kiss me, could you, Chase?”

“You’re such an idiot, Jackson,” and then she’s leaning in and kissing him again because why not? This time he responds enthusiastically, an arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer to him. Her foot catches the edge of the board, pushing it to the left and sending Percy stumbling, arms tightening around her and he falls off, determined not to stop the kiss even as they’re stumbling backwards. Annabeth laughs into his mouth and holds on.

  
  


.

  
  


“I’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” Percy says once they’ve retreated to his apartment, now Grover free. This is the first time Annabeth’s been here. All she can say is that it looks like two twenty-something males live in it and that there’s an overwhelming amount of green. There’s also a wind-chime over by the open window that contrasts sharply with mess in the rest of the room, the gentle tinkling soothing.

“So why didn’t you?”

He lifts a shoulder in a shrug, nudging her arm. “I wasn’t sure, and then you were on that date, and I had decided that nothing was going to happen.”

“I went on one date,” Annabeth says, dropping her head to his shoulder. It feels so easy already and that may be down to the months of friendship leading up to this or might be because everything Percy says and does is just what she’s needing at this moment in her life. “You gave up too easily.”

“Actually, half of my injuries were self-inflicted because that was the only way I knew you would talk to me. I think that shows dedication.”

“I can’t believe you,” she says, a feeling that can only be described as glowing and safe floating up inside of her. She is so gone for this.

“Good thing you came to my door, serenading me for all our neighbours to hear.”

Annabeth twists to glare up at him, allowing herself to be kissed when he bends his head to do just that. He smells faintly of the sea and Annabeth finds she doesn’t mind that, wonders what she smells like to him. Passing the question over to a later time when she isn’t otherwise occupied, she sighs against his mouth, pulling him down so she’s lying on the couch with Percy hovering above her. She’s happy.

  
  


.

  
  


“I’m gonna write a story about you and your romance,” Piper announces. “Hazel can illustrate.”

“Can you make my character dashing and charming?” Percy asks, which is just _enabling_ her. Annabeth aims a kick at his leg as he passes, shrieking when he grabs her foot and pulls her over to him. “And please remember to include the part where Annabeth got down on one knee and sang a medley of Taylor Swift songs.”

“Oh, you didn’t, Annabeth,” Hazel exclaims, looking positively glass-eyed. “What songs?”

“Don’t listen to him, Hazel. He’s a liar.”

Percy laughs loudly, loud enough for Annabeth to break and giggle into his sleeve. _God_. “Your friends are wonderful people.”

“I know.”

“You’re kinda wonderful.”

“I know that, too,” and then she kisses him, ignoring the cat-calls from Piper and Hazel’s shushing behind her. This is her apartment, her boyfriend. She makes the rules.

 

 


End file.
